Sunday, May 10, 2009

I trying hard to hold back my tears....eventually, I failed and cried. At 1st, I was heartbreak. Suddenly, tears run down my cheek. I was speechless. Voiceless. I was just sitting infront of my desktop, and clicking next and next button and seeing pictures that those dogs was stuck aimlessly on the horrible island. That was a total nightmare for them. They totally dont have any food to eat. Yet, they hope to survive!

Here's some of the pictures I looked thru net (Copied and paste from Internet)...I couldnt sleep when I see those pictures, yet I stay awake to read more news at the internet bout the survivors.

The villagers have been rounding up all the dogs on the island and shipping them to a deserted island. But it is no ordinary island. It is an inhabitable mangrove island with an environment so harsh that every castaway faces a horrible death. Efforts are being made to stop the deportation of more stray dogs from the adjacent village of Sg Lima.

On Dire Straits. Friends Daniel Tang and Sabrina Yeap of Furry Friends Farm accompanied me on this reconnaissance trip to "Dog Island", off the Straits Of Malacca. Blogger Birds Talking (from Klang) who followed me on the earlier negotiation trip was unable to follow due to some sudden illness. We chartered a boat and as we approached the island, I was thinking we will only get to see bones and carcasses. Poisonous snakes abound on the water clogged island and the hostile island will eat any ill-prepared intruder alive. The bountiful mud and sand will swallow you when you walk on it as I was to find out later.

Getting Close. A large eagle surveys the island from above.

First Sighting. This was the first glimmer of hope.Notice how scrawny it is. Yet he managed to wag his tail feebly upon seeing us.

Heartbreak. The sad face of this abandoned puppy sitting on a branch is heartbreaking and makes me and Sabrina all the more determined to go get every single remaining dog out from there.

Man-Made Tragedy. According to local fishermen, the starving animals resorted to cannibalism. They ate the carcasses of the fellow castaways who didn't survive. They were so desperate that they swam to nearby kelongs only to be chased away. Many weaker ones died in the water. We enlisted the help of a couple of Indonesian workers from a nearby kelong. They will also try to feed and trap the remaining dogs where possible. I am still formulating a proper method of delivering food to selected spots on this treacherous island. I hope to be able to engage a local mangrove expert to enter the interior of the island to estimate the number of remaining survivors and to identify the places to land. Because the island is relatively remote, the rescue mission is a logistical nightmare.

This is really a deadfull nightmare for them throughout shine or rain...

Dog's Eye View. As Sabrina clasped her hands in prayers, I too ended up needing some prayers. I was being sucked into hungry quicksand after getting off the boat to take this picture through the mangrove plants. After some struggling, I escaped with some cuts and bruises from the mangrove roots. My slight injuries are nothing compared to the unimaginable conditions and ordeal the dogs have to go through daily. The incident also serves to remind me of the difficult and dangerous mission ahead.

One Lucky Terrier. Our Indonesian helper managed to grab this dog after a nasty show-down.

Saved and Safe. The rescued dog in the safe hands of Sabrina and on the way to a vet for treatment.

Boat hire is expensive there. It is a tourist area and it has already cost me a few hundred ringgit for boat hire alone, so far. The rescued dogs cannot be transported on the regular ferries. Almost nobody will lift a finger to help without a fee. This is understandable.

The locals are already shaking their heads in disbelief that there are outsiders who want to save the animals they so casually discarded. Instead of pointing fingers and antagonising them, we need their co-operation to help save the unfortunate creatures. In the process, we also hope to educate the islanders on better treatment of animals. It would be an impossible mission if we didn't win their hearts. If you are unable to help directly, please help by forwarding this appeal to other compassionate folks who you feel might be able to make some monetary contributions. Apart from boat hire, we need money to buy cages, to pay people to help catch them, to hire land transport to send the rescued animals to veterinary clinics, pay for vet fees, send the recovered ones to the shelter and to feed and house them for life. I can go on!

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While seeing all this dogs... I got an intention to find more photos...I dont hope to miss out any photos of them T_T

Here's another one... Is another day...and more people is volunteer and helping out. Thanks GOD!!!

From the press:-

As we got closer, we keep hearing eerie and gut-wrenching barks from dogs stuck inside the mangrove. Volunteer Pummkin is dispatched from the 'mothership' to scan the edge of the island on a sampan. They have an inflatable kayak to get even closer. It is full moon and the tide is high and fast.

Rescued Cantik (named by YB Edward Lee) is weeping silently on a back seat. She of course is not aware she is on the way to a better life and won't be put down. She was so terrified and was almost frozen when rescued. Can you blame her and the other thrown-away dogs for fearing and not trusting humans ever again?

I like to salute the dedicated Klang volunteers like Connie and Donald for using their cars to transport the maggot -ridden animals to their homes and taking care of the rescued dog for a night.

Usually, when we return to shore at night, the nearby vets are already closed and we do not have vans or trucks to transport the animals back to FFF's sanctuary in faraway Kundang.

Last night, adventure specialist Marjorie Gabriel and Hulu Selangor councilor Karin Lee also brought in 2 dogs. River Goddess Marjorie (as she calls herself), constructed a clever pontoon to leave food for the dogs. We have 8 now and will bring more home.

Updates and pics by TV Smith

Another press:-

Another long day. Another beautiful sunset. Another dog saved. I am happy. Sabrina is happy. Grace is happy. Volunteer Donald who donated 10 new cages, accompanied us on this trip.He was given the honour of naming our new family member. He called her Grace.

Grace swimming from Hell Island into our arms.

Kuning swam into a floating fish farm a few weeks ago. The kindly Indonesian workers adopted him and another abandoned black dog imaginatively named Hitam :) A diet of mainly seafood gave their coat a healthy shine. They have since grown quite attached to their saviors.

YOU SAVED HER!

Remember that forlorn puppy on a tree I photographed on our first rescue trip? I took her picture and turned it into our mission poster. It quickly moved a nation and touched a million hearts worldwide. Her expression of hopelessness and despair made everyone with a conscience weep. It also made me and Sabrina all the more determined to try free all the dogs imprisoned there.

Her haunting image spread like wildfire across the Internet and donations started pouring in. It allowed us to intensify our rescue efforts.

We had a hard and hectic day at the islands yesterday but we are extremely pleased to tell u we rescued her! She is now at the animal hospital undergoing treatment before she joins the other rescued animals at Sabrina's Furry Friends Farm sanctuary. Big hugs for all volunteers who helped and also to those who made donations, showered us with multi-faith prayers and much-needed moral support.

Together with her, we also retrieved another male dog which is injured and requires immediate medical attention. Your donations allow us to provide the medical care needed. Please help to keep the funds flowing by continuing to distribute the poster. You saved her!

Please....do help them... Anybody who is affordable, please help them. When I 1st saw Sabrina praying for the dogs, I started to pray behalf on my part too. If cant donate also, at least do some prayings....Thanks alot...